Bipolar electrosurgical forceps have a pair of resilient blades or tines that are used for grasping and coagulating tissue during surgical procedures. The tines are elongated and extend from a first or proximal end to a second or distal end at the tip. In bipolar forceps, each tine of the pair comprises an electrode. Current flows from one tine through the tissue to the other tine. The proximal ends of the tines are electrically connected in any suitable manner, such as by crimping, welding, or soldering, to a pair of terminal pins or blades. The proximal ends of the tines along with the terminal pins or blades are encapsulated using an epoxy-based material or otherwise mounted within an insulating cap. (See FIG. 15.) The forceps are electrically connected to an electrical generator by an electrical cable extending from the generator to the terminal pins or blades at the proximal end of the forceps. The electrical cable has a connector to receive the pins or blades of the forceps.
Three styles of connection at the proximal end of electrical forceps are commonly in use—a two-pin connection, a two-bladed connection, and a block-bladed connection. The two-pin connection, sometimes referred to as a standard US pin connection, includes two electrically conducting pins having a round cross section. The two-bladed connection, sometimes referred to as an “Aesculap style” bladed connection, includes two flat electrically conducting blades. The blades can have a slight recess and lip at the ends. The block-bladed connection, sometimes referred to as a standard European bladed connection, includes two flat electrically conducting blades attached to opposite faces of an insulation block. Each of these types of connections requires a different connector configuration at the end of the electrical cable.